trsmt:
Thank you in advance for any helpful insight you may be able to provide. Here is my story. I was in a relationship with someone who "claims" to be positive from 1993-1998. I say claims to be because he supposedly tested positive in 1987 and during the 11 years that I knew him - from 1988-1999 he never took any HIV related medications and didn't have any AIDS related illnesses that I am aware of. He didn't tell anyone for years after he says he tested positive. I am not sure if he actually is pos, lied about it or tested false positive. I know he is still alive, but do not know his health condition now.

Here is my dilemma. It has been 8 years since my last exposure to him, which included performing oral sex on him and unprotected vaginal intercourse. In 1997 I had an illness called Bell's Palsy, which is a temporary paralysis of the left side of the face believed to be caused by recent viral illness. I have had respiratory infections over the years and do not have Asthma or Allergies. Last October I had "commonly acquired" walking pneumonia which was treated with antibiotics and resolved, though it took 8 weeks for the cough to go away. I am currently 30 weeks pregnant and believed to have Pertussis, which I was treated with antibiotics, but they say you cough for 100 days with this illness. I know my immune system is compromised during pregnancy, but it is still troubling. I have never had any other possible ARS that I am aware of. No night sweats, etc. I have noticed that I have 6 or so new moles in the last few years, but the dermatologist says they are normal.

My anxiety stems from the fact that when my prenatal testing was done I thought I had been tested for HIV. I found out in July that this was not the case ans went to the local AIDS council to be tested. I took the Oraquick Advance Oral Test and it was negative. This is the only test I have had since my 8 year ago exposure. EVERYONE tells me I can rely totally on the results of this test.

I am told that after all this time IF I were positive, it would absolutely show and there is no need to be concerned, retest, etc. Please let me know if this is indeed the case. I have read online about a few instances where people that were positive for a long time tested negative due to the fact that they for some reason no longer produced antibodies? I am also concerned about the potential or possibility of a "false negative". I have read conflicting reports about whether or not this is a possibility. Thank you for your help!

RapidRod:
If you have a negative result after all those years, guess what, you are negative. Now if you have proceeded to have unprotected vaginal or anal sex and you haven't tested, go get tested. Your symptoms can't diagnosis HIV only a test will.

Ann:
tr,

The only time a person might stop producing antibodies is when they are extremely ill and on their deathbed. This obviously does not apply to you.

You are absolutely conclusively negative from your boyfriend eight years ago.

If the father of your child has never tested, you do not know his hiv status and technically you are in a window period from the last time you had unprotected intercourse with him. You already are conclusively hiv negative from three months before your last test.

Don't assume that because you tested negative that your partner also is. The ONLY way to know a person's hiv status for certain is through testing. Exposure does not automatically result in successful transmission and infection. It might happen the first time you are exposed, but it might not happen until the 100th time you are exposed. Ask your partner to test if you feel this is a concern.

In future, if you find yourself with another partner, you need to know that you should be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection.

Good luck with the pregnancy and after.

Ann

trsmt:
Thanks for the info. What is your take on the conflicting info. that I have seen regarding "false negatives"?